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An ode to tomatoes on toast.


I have loved tomatoes on toast since I was a child. In those days it would have been grilled tomatoes smothered in salt and pepper on a slice of good old mothers pride. The tomatoes would have been grilled until blistered and soft and then I would smash them up into a pulp on the toast.
These days the ingredients may be a bit different but the joy is still there.
Today I tried Alison Roman’s tomatoes dressed in toasted fennel and anchovy  (yes that woman again) she like me is a BIG anchovy fan.
The recipe, if you can call it a recipe, follows.
I added some rocket and half an avocado and had it on a couple of slices of  lightly toasted Gail’s seeded sourdough.


Ingredients 

4tbsp olive oil
2tbsp fennel seeds crushed 
2tsp Aleppo pepper or crushed chilli flakes
8 anchovy fillets plus more to serve.
1kg of smallish ripe tomatoes.  
2tbsp red wine vinegar
Flaky sea salt
Ground black pepper 

Method

Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes and anchovies and swirl until the anchovy has melted - around 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside

Randomly slice, quarter and half the tomatoes and then scatter over a serving plate or bowl. Drizzle with the vinegar and scatter more anchovies on top of you fancy a big fishy hit.
Spoon the dressing over the top with a few flakes of salt and plenty of ground black pepper.

Nb the dressing can be made ahead and kept for up to a week but the salad should be put together at the last minute.

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